Marquette Board of Light and Power

What Marquette Board of Light and Power does

The Marquette Board of Light and Power (MBLP) is a municipal electric utility owned and administered by the City of Marquette, Michigan, operating continuously since 1889 when it began generating electricity via hydroelectric facilities on the Dead River. It serves approximately 17,000 residential and commercial customers across the City of Marquette and all or parts of nine townships (Marquette, Negaunee, Ishpeming, West Branch, Richmond, Chocolay, Skandia, Sands, and Forsyth) in Marquette County. Core infrastructure includes 69kV transmission, distribution substations, and metering assets; in March 2026 MBLP completed a Second Interconnection to the regional grid, providing a redundant transmission path and materially improving reliability. Legacy thermal generation (the 1967 Shiras Steam Plant) was decommissioned and demolition began in 2023.

MBLP delivers electricity through owned transmission and distribution infrastructure under rates approved by the Michigan Public Service Commission, with revenue derived from per-kilowatt-hour charges, fixed monthly fees, fuel adjustment charges, and pass-through state surcharges such as the Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund ($1.25 per meter per month for 2025-26) and Energy Waste Reduction (0.00404 cents/kWh). Customer interaction is anchored on the SmartHub portal for billing, usage monitoring, service requests, and text-based outage reporting, supplemented by a public Outage Center with real-time maps. Programs include Community Solar Garden, Voluntary Green Pricing (with MPPA), appliance recycling with rebates, a Gatekeeper senior safety program (30+ years), and energy assistance via Generating Change and DHHS. MBLP holds no venture or private ownership and operates as a non-profit community entity governed by an appointed board under City of Marquette oversight.

Name

Marquette Board of Light and Power

Legal name

Marquette Board of Light and Power

Website

https://mblp.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1889

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Municipal electric utility owned by the City of Marquette, Michigan, serving approximately 17,000 residential and commercial customers across Marquette County via owned transmission and distribution infrastructure, SmartHub billing portal, and a newly completed second grid interconnection.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electric Utility Services

NAICS

Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution (22112), Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution (2211)

SIC

Electric Services (4911)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Power Districts & State/Provincial Utilities (EUADABAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hydroelectric Turbines & Governors (IMAHAFAD), Customer Restoration & Safety Services (Meter Pulls, Service Drops, Reconnects) (EUAEAIAL)

Keywords

• Municipal electric utility
• Electricity distribution services
• Utility billing services
• Renewable energy programs
• Outage management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Marquette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Electricity Sales: Residential and commercial electricity distribution services. Revenue generated from per-kilowatt-hour charges, fixed monthly charges, and fuel adjustment charges.
2. Surcharges and Fees: Collection of state-mandated surcharges including LIEAF ($1.25/meter/month) and Energy Waste Reduction charges (0.00404 cents/kWh) passed through to state programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Marquette Board of Light and Power is a municipal electric utility that distributes electricity to approximately 17,000 residential and commercial customers in the City of Marquette and parts of nine townships in Marquette County, Michigan. The utility delivers electricity distribution through owned transmission and distribution infrastructure, provides billing and account management through the SmartHub portal, offers outage management via the Outage Center, and supports community programs including green energy programs, payment assistance, and appliance recycling.

Product overview

Marquette Board of Light and Power operates as a municipal utility offering a unified suite of electricity services centered on its SmartHub customer portal. The core product portfolio includes billing and payment services, outage management through the Outage Center, and green programs (Community Solar Garden and Voluntary Green Pricing). Additional services encompass appliance recycling, energy waste reduction programs, and payment assistance. A major infrastructure enhancement is the completed Second Interconnection, providing redundant transmission connectivity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SmartHub: Online customer portal for bill payment, account management, usage viewing, and service requests.
• Community Solar Garden
• Voluntary Green Pricing (VGP)

Products and services

• SmartHub Customer Portal Online customer portal enabling bill payment, account management, usage monitoring, service requests, and text message outage notifications for MBLP customers.
• Billing Services Comprehensive billing services including online payments, auto-withdraw, budget payment plans, and payment assistance programs for residential and commercial customers.
• Community Solar Garden Renewable energy program allowing MBLP customers to benefit from solar power without installing and maintaining solar panels on their property.
• Voluntary Green Pricing (VGP) Voluntary program offered in partnership with MPPA that allows customers to elect that a portion of their energy (kWh) usage is tied to renewable-generated energy.
• Outage Center Web-based outage tracking system with real-time outage maps, text message outage reporting (text 'OUT' to 906-228-0300), and outage update notifications for MBLP customers.
• Appliance Recycling Program Program helping customers safely dispose of old appliances while earning rebate checks ($50 for large appliances, $10 for small appliances) and keeping harmful materials out of landfills.
• Payment Assistance Programs Multiple assistance programs including LIEAF (Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund at $1.25/meter/month), DHHS assistance, Gatekeeper Program for seniors (30+ years), and Generating Change community assistance.
• Energy Waste Reduction (EWR) Program Michigan state-mandated energy efficiency programs offering rebates, incentives, and services to reduce waste and improve efficiency, with an EWR charge of 0.00404 cents/kWh.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 17,000 customers served across 9 townships
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, support and core.

• Black & VeatchmajorTechnology or Integration · 6 March 2026Engineering firm partner for Second Interconnection project - a major infrastructure initiative providing redundant transmission connection to the regional power grid.
• Hooper Corporation - Electric Power DivisionmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 6 March 2026Awarded contract for Second Interconnection transmission line construction. Work began July 2025 along CR 480 and related routes.
• MJ ElectricmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 6 March 2026Awarded substation construction contract for the Second Interconnection project. Contract approved January 28, 2025.
• Alger Delta REAsupportStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 March 2026Partner utility for Second Interconnection project coordination, providing collaborative support for regional grid improvements.
• Superior Watershed PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership for energy assistance and conservation programs. Superior Watershed Partnership screens applicants and determines assistance levels for MBLP's Generating Change and LIEAF programs. Located at 1104 N Third St., Marquette, Michigan 49855.
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)supportOthers · 1 September 2025State agency partner for energy assistance programs. MPSC ensures funds collected within a geographic area are returned to that area for distribution to eligible households.
• Michigan Public Power Association (MPPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPPA partnership for the Voluntary Green Pricing (VGP) program, allowing customers to elect that a portion of their energy usage is tied to renewable generated energy.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DTE Energy: Major Michigan investor-owned utility with overlapping transmission and distribution responsibilities. Comparable on regulated rate-setting, Energy Waste Reduction program compliance, and infrastructure investment cycles.
• Consumers Energy: Michigan's largest investor-owned electric utility. Operates in the same state regulatory environment and serves many of the same broader regions, making it a relevant comparison on rate structures, renewable compliance, and customer-program strategy.
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA): Federally-owned public power corporation providing generation, transmission, and distribution across the Southeast. Comparable as a government-owned utility with a public-power charter and analogous regulatory and capital-deployment dynamics.
• Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD): Large California public-power utility serving as a benchmark for municipal electric utilities with extensive green programs, solar garden offerings, and community-assistance initiatives analogous to MBLP's programs.
• New York Power Authority (NYPA): State-owned public power organization providing generation and transmission services in New York. Comparable as a government-affiliated public power entity with transmission and renewable-program mandates, though at substantially larger scale.

Direct peers

• Holland Board of Public Works: Michigan municipal utility providing electric, water, and broadband services to a comparable small-city customer base. Closely comparable in operating model, regulatory environment (MPSC oversight), and community-program structure.
• Traverse City Light & Power: Michigan municipal electric utility serving Traverse City with a similar mix of residential and commercial customers. Directly comparable in scale, service territory structure, and green-program offerings (e.g., solar, green pricing).
• Coldwater Board of Public Utilities: Small Michigan municipal electric utility serving the City of Coldwater and surrounding areas. Highly comparable in customer-count scale, service territory structure, and asset base (distribution + light transmission).
• Lansing Board of Water and Light: Michigan municipal utility providing electric generation, transmission, and distribution to Lansing. Comparable in governance (city-owned), regulatory oversight, and transmission/distribution scope, though meaningfully larger in customer count.
• Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association: Michigan rural electric cooperative that is an active coordination partner with MBLP on the Second Interconnection project. Comparable as a small-scale electric distribution utility operating in Michigan's Upper Peninsula with adjacent service territory.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marquette Board of Light and Power